Unlike most of the Town Council I remember when Downtown Chestertown was quite a bustling little town. We had two furniture stores, several clothing stores, affordable restaurants, a store that sold fabric and most any sewing item a person might need as well as other popular stores, wonder what happened? All we hear now is shop downtown, well, why not have some stores that sell “everyday” kinda needs and wants. Other then the drug stores and an occasional visit to the book store there is nothing down there that I want or could afford. Somebody better start paying some attention to Up Town or we won’t have anywhere but DE to shop. Never heard a word mentioned when Hallmark closed. I understand there is another store getting ready to close and one on a seesaw. Has anyone noticed how many empty store fronts there are at both shopping centers? Does anyone care? Oh, that’s right, we must get the Rails to Trails up and running, duh, for WHO???? What happened to the park that was to be made up off Rt291 that the town bought property for all those years ago, oops, we don’t have any money for that. There are a whole lot of us folks from Flatland Road to out on Rt. 213 that are suppose to be a part of Chestertown that would like to think we count for something. Guess one day when Chestertown becomes Chestertownburg all those folks running the show will be very happy with themselves, hope they are satisfied!
Billie Beck
Chestertown, MD
Ken Noble says
Right on! I agree with Billie Beck on a number of points. A recent presentation on this website by a local architect did a decent job of educating us all on the history of Chestertown planning, but stopped way short indicating there are “nuances” that exist in the historic district that did not extend outward. I read that and thought, “This is good, but give us the beef.” “Nuance” was a popular word in 2009 in which we really meant either, “I am smarter than you and anything more that I say would be over your head” or, “I don’t know more than that, but if I say ‘nuance’, it will sound like I do.” How about some town growth theory? Are we the Burgess’ Ring Theory or are we Hoyt’s Sector Model? Please, continue, ingratiate us with this knowledge, but how is it relevant?
Frankly, the NUANCE that I am concerned about is an expectation that the squeakiest wheel will get the oil in this town. Billie alludes to preexisting plans that have NOT come to fruition which predate things like Park Row brick sidewalks. In presentations to Town officials, the Park Row block told our leaders that, among other things, “This is REAL Town Planning.” No, Town Planning is comprehensive. It is not focused one block. Park Row may ask for a rezoning and increased infrastructure investment, but I say get in line! Some of us have had rezoning and infrastructure requests in the stack for many years. We also have many under served and under represented neighbors in this Town who may not have voice to get in line. Billie is right. Park Row, frankly, is doing FINE. Why build a brick sidewalk so more people will come? If I want to venture downtown to buy art at a very very great community art program, it will NOT be because I want to walk on BRICKS. It will be because the economy has turned around and I have the money to do it.
Don’t get me wrong. There are many good ideas that come with the Park Row presentation. I agree that “Euclidean” zoning is a dinosaur. Using more permeable surfaces in any new landscaping should be REQUIRED in a new sustainability based code. Fine, but let’s perhaps implement plans in the order that they come to us. If we really are concerned about remediating impermeable surface, let us dust off the Charette plans for the old A&P parking parking lot. Are you kidding me? We have a buried upland wetland running through a concrete pipe! Chester River Association take note. Daniel Burnham said “Make no small plans.” To me, Park Row IS a pretty small plan* and, it may be an investment in the wrong place. Billie is right.
* Excuse me, but there is a “nuance” here. It actually is not a “plan” per se. Planning is PROBLEM DEFINITION>ALTERNATIVES GENERATION>ALTERNATIVES SELECTION>PLAN IMPLEMENTATION>PLAN EVALUATION. Park Row has not done step one relative to all of the other things we need.
Kenneth Hepburn Noble
American Institute of Certified Planners
copyright 2010